What would you miss if you were illiterate?

Literacy is a privilege that I often take for granted.

On the surface, I would miss not knowing where I'm going. It'd be miserable always feeling lost.

On a deeper level, I would miss having access to an exchange of ideas. I wouldn't be able to read books or make meaningful use of the internet. The only ideas that I would have access to would come from the people I interact with on a daily basis, which would quickly get repetitive.

Literacy has given me an opportunity to explore other cultures, to gain new skills, and to cultivate my imagination. It has also protected me. Without an ability to do research, my opinions are vulnerable to misinformation, making it easy for others to take advantage of me.

Everyone should have an opportunity to be literate (in its many forms).